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Category: research

Watch How I Get Facebook Stats, Selena Gomez, and Man Buns into a Post About the Ad Industry…

11/12/2015

So.

Some relatively interesting figures and facts came out over the last week that are of some interest to people whose livelihood is based on advertising creativity and what’s going in our industry of spastic identifiers – some examples being, “New model, multidisciplinary marketing communications firm; creative and strategic boutique; full-service advertising business; fully integrated marketing agency; and (my personal oh, aren’t-we-hip fav), a disruption company.”

SNAPCHAT. According to the Sunday Financial Times (you’ll need a sub to read the story), views have tripled from May to date and now total 6 billion per day. The takeaway? This messaging app is THE HOTTEST new toy – I mean tool – for marketers. More > “Watch How I Get Facebook Stats, Selena Gomez, and Man Buns into a Post About the Ad Industry…”

Yes, the Early Bird, Yadda Yadda Yadda

03/25/2010

Canis Alarmus, or "the wet nose treatment"

I have been trying for years to be open to rising before the sun, but the fact is my internal says “sunlight=get up” and also tells me that after 11:00 pm, reading is utterly uninterrupted by my family, which has led me to staying awake until well after midnight for all of my adult life. This, of course, is not conducive to the pre-dawn alarm, unless you’re my mother.

But this article in Monster.com’s Excelle blog (yes, it’s for women, but the principles here are the same for either sex) makes a strong argument for getting up early, getting things done, and why your body is more responsive, energetic and even smarter in the early morning hours. The thing that struck me, aside from the obvious benefits like more time to put on a little slap, have a real breakfast, a higher motivation to get to the gym, was the idea that if I get up early, the commute is easier, I have time to watch more than one segment of the morning shows, and I’m already a few hours into my day by the time I get to my desk — rather than, say, arriving in search of coffee, a sugar jolt, and eyes that are not staying open without concentrated effort.

I know an advertising executive who is at the gym by 4:00 am, calling his employees and planning his day, who phones every single one of his clients every day, runs the 14th-largest ad agency in the U.S., yet still has time to be the hands-on father of four. I don’t aspire to these extremes, but getting up an hour earlier would sure make my day a bit easier. How about you?

Aim High, Buy Low

12/21/2009

Lagerfeld Designs for discount reatiler H+M — Lagerfeld Joins other designers with moderately priced lines at discount retailers like H+M

According to a study recently published in Marketing Weekly News, consumers are still shopping for the top, high-price brands, but doing so at mass retailers.”Electronics and department stores continue to see the largest loss of shoppers and have the worst conversion rate with about half of shoppers leaving without making a purchase.

“Mass market retailers such as Walmart and Target are showing a five point increase in shoppers visiting them more often, from previous months, and have the best conversion rate with nine out of ten shoppers leaving the store having made a purchase.”

No one REALLY wants to give up their favorite name brands, whether it’s a Sony flat-screen TV or Frederic Fekkai hair products, but consumers are buying them at Wal-Mart and Target, respectively. We Americans have a love for brands, and the cache that brand name is perceived to carry, so this trend will no doubt continue well beyond the holidays.

The study also showed that consumers are beginning to define value differently. Today, more often consumers are attributing value to price, where the past couple months it was defined as an equal balance between quality and price. So if Target can keep up its trend of enticing high-end designers like Rodarte and Devi Kroll, and H+M the likes of Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney, and you can find Marc Jacobs, Giuseppe Zanotti and Prada shoes at DSW, most of us are going to shop discount. It’s a brilliant win-win for the retailers, designers and the consumer with designer tastes and discount budgets.

Story Source: “Study Shows Consumers Will Purchase Top Value Brands at Mass Retail.” Marketing Weekly News. 2009. HighBeam Research. (December 21, 2009). http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-214061765.html

The Brain May Like E-Books, but my Heart is Still in Print

10/15/2009

There was a great — and very lengthy — story in the “Room for Debate” commentary in the New York Times titled, “Does the Brain Like E-Books?” . I have to admit that I am warily curious about the Kindle and all the other e-vehicles for the written word, and right now I can simply say that the price makes it out of my budget for the moment. But even if the Kindle dropped below $100, would I buy one? I don’t think so. I am attached to the page, the shape and feel of the books, the anticipation of turning the page, even the cover art (which can be seriously embarrassing when I’m on one of my “vamp, were, alternate universe” kicks). I grew up with a book in my hand or tucked under my arm, and I have a book in my handbags every time I leave the house — there are drawbridges, long red lights, and diner meals that require I have reading material. My partner loves the idea of the Kindle — not because se he’d use it, but because I could potentially clear valuable bookshelf space for his stuff.

I’m hardly a Luddite — what blogger is? — but I am going to hang on to my books for the forseeable future. At least until someone else buys me a Kindle.

Using Lechery as a Way to Promote Breast Cancer Awareness: Good Idea?

09/24/2009

In Tuesday’s Los Angles Times, an article appeared titled, “Breast cancer ads use lechery for good.”

As a pragmatist when it comes to the really big stuff, I think these ads will bring more attention to the cause, and that’s what we all want, right? The stats are appalling, and if one woman gets tested or one man encourages his significant other to get to get a mammogram, where’s the harm? This is a very female-centric issue, yet men are in women’s lives and should be paying just as much attention.

Sure, it’s the equivalent of a beer ad about breast cancer, but we should always be looking for the outcome, not the narrowing the path to it.

Do you find them offensive? We’d be interested in your opinion.

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